's head came out of the water, bubbling and blowing, and the
boys set up a cheer. Never before had any one in the village performed
such a feat as that. But Jan did not answer their cheers with his usual
merry laugh. Something was troubling him which made him look strange to
the others. As soon as he reached the shore he ran up to Gil and
whispered in his brother's ear a curious story.

"Oh, Gil!" he cried. "Such a strange feeling I have had! Down below
there as I was swimming along I seemed to hear a strange sound like a
cry, and then, surely, I felt something cling close to me, like soft
arms. Gil, Gil, what could it have been? I have heard tell of the
Mermaidens who are said to live in these waters. Some even say that they
have seen them afar off on the rocks where the spray dashed highest.
Gil, could it have been a Mermaid who touched me and seemed to pull me
down as if to keep me under the water forever? I could hardly draw away,
Gil. Tell me what you think it means?"

Gil was too angry at Jan's success to answer kindly. He sneered,
remembering the secret which only he and the Stork knew.

"There are slimy folk, half fish and half human, people say. The less
one has to do with them the better. I think you are half fish yourself,
Jan. It is no credit to you that you are able to swim!" So spoke Gil,
breaking the promise which he had once given.

On the minute came a hoarse cry overhead, and a great Stork flapped down
the sky, fixing his sharp eyes upon Gil, as if in warning.

"Why, how strangely the Stork acts!" cried Jan.

Gil bit his lip and said no more, but from that moment he hated his
brother wickedly, knowing that the Stork was still watching over the
child whom he had taken from the sea.

But Jan had no time to ask Gil what he meant by the strange words which
he had just spoken, for at that moment several of the boys came running
up to them. "Ho, Gil! Ho, Jan!" they cried. "Let us have a race! Come,
let us swim out to the Round Rock and back. And the winner of this race
shall be champion of the village. Come, boys, make ready for the race!"

Gil's face brightened, for he had ever been the strongest swimmer on the
bay, and now he could afford to be kind to poor Jan, whose blue eyes
were clouded and unhappy, because of Gil's former harsh words and
manner.

"Ho! The race, the race!" cried Gil. "Come, Jan, you can dive like a
fish. Now let us see how you can swim. One, two, three! We are off!"

The boy